Defend the Affordable Care Act!

Last week the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act, which rolls back critical healthcare gains for women, children and families that currently exist under the Affordable Care Act. Now our attention turns to the Senate.

Write your Senator today and ask them to vote against repealing the ACA without simultaneously voting on a bill that provides the same coverage and protections of the ACA.

Repealing the ACA without a viable replacement plan risks far too much for
women and families across the country.

Ensure that the ACA is not repealed without a viable replacement plan in place that preserves these important protections for women and girls. AND

Vote against the House-approved American Health Care Act (AHCA) if it is brought to a vote.

Repealing the ACA without a viable replacement plan risks far too much for women and families across the country.

Personalize your message with any specific or personal concerns that will amplify your message!

Sample Message:

‘m writing today to urge you to protect the health care benefits provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that are important to me, my family, and my community.

The ACA provides a healthcare lifeline for 9.5 million women who could not otherwise afford health insurance, and has been particularly beneficial for women of color, whose uninsured rates have dropped dramatically. In addition to getting access to health coverage, the ACA includes many provisions that are critical to women’s health. I urge you to make sure that any health care legislation maintains these key provisions:

The essential health benefits requirement for low income people in the Medicaid program, and for people who have health insurance through their employers and the healthcare exchanges. Preventive care (including pediatric care, mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, and domestic violence screenings), pregnancy and childbirth coverage, mental health and substance abuse services, chronic disease management, pediatric care, and other essential health benefits shouldn’t be optional for insurance companies or a health service that a state can waive.

Protections for survivors of domestic violence so that they are not penalized if their abusers block their access to health coverage.

A strong, well-funded Medicaid program that meets the needs of all who need it, including people who gained health coverage through their state’s expansion of Medicaid eligibility.

The full range of reproductive health services for women and girls, including continued Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood which is a primary women’s health provider in many communities.

Full and affordable coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, so that they can get the care they need without fear of being cut off from coverage when the costs for surgery, cancer, diabetes, or other health conditions run high.

For any health care legislation the Senate takes up, I urge you to consider this single question: Does the proposed replacement bill maintain the gains for women and girls in health care coverage, affordability, and accessibility that have been achieved under the ACA? If the answer is no on any of these priorities, as your constituent, I urge you to vote NO on that bill.

The House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA) certainly does not meet this standard, and if the Senate chooses to take it up, I urge you to VOTE NO. The AHCA fails to maintain any of the ACA provisions that are critical for women’s health, and an estimated 24 million people are likely to lose coverage if it becomes law. This is unacceptable.